Loose-leaf binder.



Patented May 7, I90I.

R. G. WDODWARD. LOOSE LEAF BINDER.

(Application filed Mar. 1, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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ROBERT GRAHAM VOODVVARD, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 673,745, dated May '7, 1901.

Application filed March 1, 1901. Serial No. 49,436. \No model.) I

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that LROBERT GRAHAM WooD- WARD, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Loose-Leaf Binder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved loose-leaf binder arranged to permit the operator to quickly and conveniently open or close the clamping device for the loose leaves and to allow ready insertion or removal of the leaves.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same on the line 2 2 in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a sectional plan View of the locking device for holding the crank and gear-wheel removably in place on the stud.

A hollow back or casing A, of metal or other suitable material, supports between its top and bottom spaced posts B for engagement by the walls of slots 0 in the loose leaves 0 to be bound in the temporary looseleaf binder. The top and bottom sheets of the loose leaves are clamped between clampingplates D D, extending longitudinally within the back A and mounted to slide loosely toward or from each other on the posts B, the ends andmiddle parts of the clampingplates being screw-threaded to engage the right and left hand threads of screw-rods E, mounted to turn in suitable bearings arranged in the top and bottom of the back or casing A. One of the clamping-plates D engages the right-hand threads of the screw-rods E and the other engages the left-hand threads thereof, so that when the screw-rods are simultaneously rotated the clampingplates D D move simultaneously toward or from each other, according to the direction in which the screwrods are turned. Thus when the clampingplates D D move from each other the loose leaves are unclamped, and when the plates are moved toward each other then the loose leaves are clamped securely between the plates and are firmly held in position in the binder.

On the upper ends of the screw-rods E are secured WOlIIbWllBGlS F in mesh with wormwheels G, attached to a longitudinally-extending shaft H, journaled in suitable bearings formed in the ends of the back or casing A, the middle portion of said shaft being journaled in a supplementary bearing A, attached' to the back or casing A to prevent the shaft from Warping. One end of the shaft ll extends through the corresponding end of the back A, and on the outer portion of this shaft is secured a pinion I in mesh with a spurwheel J, mounted to rotate loosely on a stud K, attached to the end of the back A. On the spur-wheel J is secured a handle L, carrying a spring-catch N, adapted to engage an annular groove in the projecting outer end of the stud K, so as to hold the spur-wheel J in position on the stud K and in mesh with the pinion I. By disengaging the spring-catch N from the annular groove in the stud K the operator is enabled to slide the spur-wheel J and its handle L off the stud K to store it away wheneveritis deemed necessary. When the spur-wheel J is in position on the stud K as described and the operator turns the handle L, then the rotary motion given to the spur-Wheel J causes the pinion I and the shaft H to rotate, so that the worms G simultaneously impart a rotary motion to the wormwheels F to rotate the screw-rods E and move the clam ping-plates D D toward or from each other, according to the direction in which the handle L is turned by the operator. The gearing is so proportion ed that the clamping-plates D D move slowly and gradually toward or from each other to securely clamp or unclamp the leaves without requiring much power on the part of the operator turning the handle L and without danger of suddenly jamming the clamping-plates upon the top and bottom leaves to injure the same, as is so frequently the case in devices of this class as heretofore constructed.

By locating the shaft H, the worm G, and the worm-wheels F in the upper portion of the back or casing A said working parts are completely out of the way of the loose leaves bound in position in the binder.

The posts B may be omitted and the slotted leaves 0 engaged with the screw-rods to hold the leaves in place when the clampingplates are moved out of clamping position.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A loose-leaf binder, comprising a hollow back open at the front, posts within said back and adapted to be engaged by slots in the leaves to be inserted, a clamping device within said back for clamping the leaves, the clamping device being mounted to slide on the posts, and an actuating mechanism for opening and closing said clamping device, and comprising screw-rods journaled in said hollow back, a shaft under the control of the operator, and a gearing connecting said shaft with'said screw-rods, to simultaneously rotate the latter upon turning said shaft, as set forth.

2. A loose-leaf binder, comprising a hollow back or casing open at the front, clampingplates within said back and adapted to en- .gagethe leaves to be bound at the top and bottom, screw-rods journaled in the top and bottom of said back, and having right and left hand threads, of which the right-hand threads screw in one clamping-plate and the left-hand threads in the other clamping-plate, Worm-wheels secured on the upper ends of said screw-rods, worms in mesh with said worm-wheels, and a shaft journaled in said back and under the control of the operator, as set forth.

3. A loose-leaf binder, comprising a hollow back or casing open at the front, clampingplates within said back and adapted to engage the leaves to be bound at the top and bottom, screw-rods journaled in the top and bottom of said back, and having right and left hand threads, of which the right-hand threads screw in one clamping-plate and the left-hand threads in the otherclamping-plate, worm-Wheels secured on the upper ends of said screw-rods, worms in mesh with said worm-Wheels, a shaft journaled in said back, a pinion on one outer end of said shaft, and a spur-wheel having a handle and mounted to rotate loosely on one outer end of the casing and in mesh with said pinion, as set forth.

4. Aloose-leaf binder, comprising a hollow back or casing open at the front, clampingplates within said back and adapted to engage the leaves to be bound at the top and bottom, screw-rods journaled in the top and bottom of said back, and having right and left hand threads, of which the right-hand threads screw in one clamping-plate and the left-hand threadsin the other clamping-plate, Worm-wheels secured on the upper ends of said screw-rods, worms in mesh with said worm-wheels, a shaft journaled in said back, a pinion on one outer end of said shaft, a spurwheel havinga handle and mounted to rotate loosely on one outer end of the casing and in mesh with said pinion, said spur-wheel and handle being removably held on a stud on the casing, and a spring-catch for holding the spur-wheel and handle on the stud, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT GRAHAM WOODWARD.

Witnesses:

THEO. G. HOSTER, EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL. 

